The Indians last year had perhaps their best group of bench players in decades, and certainly one of the best benches in the majors in 2013.
It’s a major reason why the Indians won 92 games, and a spot in the playoffs. Instead of going with the cheapest players they could find for their bench, as they did in recent years, the Indians in 2013 spent some money and had productive veteran players on their bench, players who had histories of being successful everyday players in the major leagues.
Infielder Mike Aviles was signed to a two-year, $6 million deal. Infielder/outfielder Ryan Raburn signed a two-year, $4.85 million contract. Catcher Yan Gomes played so well that by midseason he had wrestled the starting catcher’s job away from Carlos Santana. And Jason Giambi was a former American League MVP.
The bench was a big reason for the team’s success last year, and nobody has to tell Tribe manager Terry Francona how important a good bench is for a contending team.
“There are the 25 (players) you leave (spring training) with, but last year we ended up using 49 players (total),” Francona told reporters in Arizona.
The bench players help cover for injured players, but on Francona’s teams bench players are almost like semi-regulars. He makes it a point of keeping everyone on the bench fresh.
“I don’t think you could put together a better bench than we had last year,” Raburn said. “Having a bench role can be hard for some guys to accept, because everyone wants to play. But I’m at the point in my career where I know what’s best for me, and that’s coming off the bench.”
Giambi said transitioning from an everyday player to a bench player takes some time.
“My brain still thinks I can play 162 games, and handle 500 at-bats,” he said “But at my age, your body will tell you after playing three days in a row, that maybe playing the next day is not such a good idea.”
Giambi said he is always up front with Francona on his availability.
“I always try to be honest with him,” Giambi said. “On some days when I’m not feeling great, I’ll say, ‘I can pinch hit for you today, but I’m not ready to help much more than that’.”
That unselfishness is a key part of the Indians’ bench bunch.
“There’s not one guy on the team that is more important than the other, and that’s how Tito manages us,” Giambi said. “Every player on the roster is important, from 1 to 25.”The old pro
Giambi’s value to the Indians isn’t lost on the other players in the clubhouse. That’s why he was the first player the Indians re-signed for this year following the 2013 season.
“We knew we had to bring him back,” Nick Swisher said. “There is absolutely nothing in the game of baseball or the game of life that cat hasn’t experienced. Having a veteran guy like that in our clubhouse is priceless.”The ground rules
Francona said evaluating performances in spring training isn’t done the way most fans might think it’s done.
“We don’t go by batting average, or stuff like that,” he said. “Guys have to fit on our roster. Even the guys we send down (to the minors) we tell them, ‘If you help us win and you fit, you’ll find your way back up here.”Cattle call
The Indians have more than 20 non-roster players in camp, and most of them won’t be on the opening day roster. When signing such players, however, Francona said the Indians speak frankly to them about their chances.
“I probably paint a bleaker picture for them than it actually is, because I don’t want to lead guys on,” he said. “We tell them exactly what their chances are and how this might play out. That said, we’re going to have some difficult decisions to make at the end of this camp.”Quote, unquote
Francona on Asdrubal Cabrera, a two-time All-Star shortstop who had the worst season of his career last year:
“Sometimes a guy doesn’t have his best year. That doesn’t mean you automatically cut bait and get rid of him.”